Musharraf again

Another Eid rolls around, and along with it yet another issue of Newsweek, with “yet another interview of Musharraf”:http://www.newsweek.com/id/78073/output/print. Some tidbits:

bq. There are no restrictions on the press.

A good, solid example of doublespeak.

bq.. _Will the judges [you fired] be restored to their prior positions?_

No, not at all. What judges? Why should they be restored? New judges are there. They will never be restored.

_People in the West will have a hard time understanding that._

Let them not understand. They should come to Pakistan and understand Pakistan.

p. He doesn’t seem to realize that there are 170 million people already in Pakistan who understand all too well why the judges were fired.


bq.. _People make mistakes._

I don’t make such mistakes. I take considered views. I don’t sleep at night and suddenly dream of something and issue orders in the morning. I discuss, I debate issues, and then take decisions. … Here was the situation when I had to take action on Nov. 3 [when Musharraf declared the state of emergency]. The Western media was undermining what [we] are doing. Your media keeps criticizing the army and the ISI—not understanding what their real contribution is to fighting terrorism. If the media is doing something which is totally demoralizing the nation, [resulting in a] government which is almost nonfunctional, the economy taking a downturn, despair and despondency in the nation … terrorism rising in the settled districts, then …

_Has President Bush been supportive?_

The president has been extremely supportive. I have nothing against President Bush. I think he has been most supportive; he has been a very sincere friend. I must say he understands fully the Pakistan environment. He understands why I had to act and what I’m facing. He totally and completely understands.

p. This is particularly worrying.

bq. _Some say that you want the prime minister to come from your own party._

We are going to have fair and transparent elections.

Yes indeed.

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